Recipes - Fruit

Recipes - Fruit

Sun dried fruits can be used in sweet or savoury dishes. Simply soak the fruit for half an hour in cold water or fruit juice. The resulting soaked fruits reconstitute well in curries, and other Eastern and African dishes where fruit is used in savoury dishes. The soaking juice is delicious either as a juice to drink on its own, or to use as a moistener in a sweet dish or stock in a savoury. The bananas are particularly good in fruit loaves, while all of the fruits are delicious added to breakfast cereals and mueslis.

Recipe Hint
from Maranda St. John Nicolle

I really love taking some nice organic yoghurt, adding small pieces of TW's dried pineapple (and then giving them time to rehydrate, soften and flavour the surrounding yoghurt) and some (organic) coconut cream. If you have a blender, add ice and milk for a delicious smoothie.

Oat and Date Slices (v)
(one of our winning recipes in our 2007 Fair Trade Competition, from Isabella Brown)

225g Tropical Wholefoods Dates Chopped
2 tbsp Fairtrade Honey
2 tbsp Fairtrade Lemon / Other Citrus Juice
225g Flour (1/2 spelt 1/2 self raising is a nice mix)

225g Oats
225g Butter / Margarine
85g Fairtrade Sugar (I use a mix of fairtrade caster / granulated with dark muscovado for a treacly taste).

Put dates, honey and lemon juice in a saucepan and gently heat until warm and dates are soft - takes 5 - 10 minutes depending on how soft the dates are. Meanwhile rub the butter into the flour and then stir in the oats and sugar. Spread 1/2 mix into a well lined square 7 inch tin and spread the date mixture on top. Put the rest of the oat mixture on top. Cook at gas 5 for 35-40 minutes. If it appears to be drying / catching turn heat down slightly but bear in mind that the bottom needs to cook as well. Mark out slices whilst still warm (if you don't do it then it doesn't work!). Cool in tin.
Eat and share if you really have to!

Spicy Vegetable Chow Mein (v)
(one of our winning recipes in our 2006 Fair Trade Recipe Competition, from Jo Bryan, Peterborough)

285gChinese Dried Egg Noodles
1 tbsp Sesame Oil
3 tbsp Peanut oil
I-2 Red Hot Chilli Peppers finely sliced
2 Cloves Garlic crushed of finely chopped
2 tbsp Minced fresh Ginger
225g dried mushrooms ( a mix of your Chanterelle, Cep and especially oyster mushrooms.
225g onion chopped

1 celery stalk sliced thinly
1 large organic carrot peeled and sliced into thin batons.
115g fresh organic peas
225g bean sprouts

SAUCE
3 tbsp low salt soy sauce
2 tbsp Rice Wine
2 tbsp Rice Vinegar
1 tbsp Sesame Oil
2 tsp Lime juice

Soak chilli peppers for required time Cook noodles according to package directions, and rinse under cold water. Drain thoroughly then toss with sesame oil. Heat one tablespoon of the peanut oil in a wok or large sauté pan, just until smoking. Add noodles, reduce heat, and brown one side until firm and slightly golden, about four minutes. Turn over, heat another tablespoon of oil, and brown other side. Set aside. Heat remaining tablespoon of peanut oil and sauté garlic and onions. Add remaining vegetables and sauté on high heat until vegetables are almost cooked. Whisk together the sauce ingredients. Add sauce and sauté until vegetables are tender but still crunchy. Serve over the noodles.

Apricot and Apple Oat Cakes (v)
(One of the winning recipes in our 2003 Fair Trade Recipe Competition, from Hazel Fisher, Essex)

125g Self Raising Flour 125g Porridge Oats 125g Vegetable Margarine	50g Fruit Sugar 175g Bramley Apples (peeled cored and chopped) 50g Tropical Wholefoods Dried Apricots (soaked, drained and chopped)
Mix the oats with the flour and rub in the margarine, then add the sugar. Place half of the mixture into a greased sandwich tin and press down firmly, spread over the apple then the apricots and then cover with the remaining crumb mix. Press down well. Bake in a pre heated oven for 30 - 40 minutes. Cut into wedges. Nice as a snack or for breakfast, or warm with ice cream or cream.

Chicken and Apricot Tagine
(one of our winning recipes in our 2006 Fair Trade Recipe Competition, from Anna Guest, Staffs)

1 free-range chicken, jointed
150g dried apricots
½ organic lemon
2 onions
4 tablespoons peanut oil

½ teaspoon powdered ginger
½ teaspoon powdered cinnamon
4 stalks coriander
200ml chicken stock
Salt & pepper

Soak apricots in warm water to re-hydrate. Cut chicken into smaller pieces, season, then saute in oil until golden, along with peeled and chopped onion. Dust with cinnamon and ginger, stir for a minute. Strain apricots, then add to pan. Finely slice lemon, chop coriander and add to pan. Add stock, then cover and allow to cook for 15 minutes. Remove lid and reduce for 5 minutes, until almost no liquid remains.
Serve hot, with couscous sprinkled with coriander

Fruity Sausage Roll (sosmix can be substituted for sausagemeat so v)
(One of our winning recipes in our 2003 Fair Trade Competition, from Amanda Williams, North Lincolnshire)

1 Packet of Puff Pastry
1 Onion
450g Organic Sausage Meat (or for a vegetarian alternative - sosmix)

1 Packet of Tropical Wholefoods Mango or Papaya reconstituted in fruit juice
1 Tablespoon of Sunflower or Vegetable Oil
1 Egg Beaten

Pre - heat oven to 200c or 180 for fan assisted ovens. Grease a large baking sheet. Chop the onion and gently fry for 5 minutes. Add the sausage meat and continue frying until cooked. Take off the heat and drain through a sieve to remove access fat. If using sosmix, then reconstitute as usual and leave to stand for 5 mins. Chop fruit and add to the mixture. Allow to cool. Roll out pastry into a large oblong. Put cooled mixture into centre third of pastry. Apply egg mixture to one side and fold to seal. Brush outside with beaten egg
Bake in oven for 20-30 mins until pastry is risen and golden. Serve hot or cold. Very good for picnics with salad.

Fairtrade Fruity Pork (pork can be substituted with quorn for vegetarians)
(One of our winning recipes in our 2004 Fair Trade Competition, from Isabella Brown, Bedford)

8 lean pork steaks or quorn
3 onions, chopped
4 red peppers, chopped
1 bag Tropical Wholefoods sun dried pineapple
1 bag Tropical Wholesfoods sun dried mango

3 tsp paprika
3 tsp turmeric
1 tbsp mixed herbs
1 1/2 pints of stock
2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes

Fry the onions in a large heavy based saucepan, until soft then add the pork/quorn and peppers and continue frying until the meat is sealed. Meanwhile place dried fruit in a large bowl and cover with just boiled water and leave for 10 minutes. Drain fruit and use water to make up stock if possible to keep the flavour. Add fruit, stock, spices, herbs and tomatoes to pork/quorn and cook for 30 minutes until meat is tender. Serve with fair trade basmati rice.

Pineapple and Seafood Curry
This Sri Lankan dish is fantastic with the pineapple and coconut flavours blending beautifully. It is also very easy to make. Easily enough for 6 people.

1 Red Pepper
100g T. Wholefoods Sun Dried Pineapple
900g of a white chunky fish like Whiting, Pollock or Cod, deboned and chopped into 3cm square pieces
300g Prawns, shell on
1 Small Onion
2 T. Wholefoods Red Hot Chilli Peppers
2 tbsp Vegetable Oil
2 Bay Leaves

1 Stem of Lemon Grass (chopped into 3cm pieces)
1 tsp Chilli Powder
1 tsp Paprika
1/2 tsp Mustard Seeds (crushed)
1/2 tsp Tumeric
1/4 tsp Salt
300ml Tinned Coconut Milk
1/2 tsp Fennel

First soak your pineapple in 250ml of water for twenty minutes. Keep the soaking juice. Then fry the finely chopped onion in the oil with the bay leaves and the lemon grass. Add the chilli powder, chillis, paprika, mustard seeds, tumeric, salt, pineapple, fish and prawns. Cook for 5 minutes. Pour in the coconut milk and 150ml of the pineapple soaking liquid. Sprinkle with the fennel seeds and simmer for 10 minutes. Garnish with finely chopped red or green peppers and serve with rice.

Thanks to Becky

Tagine of Lamb with Mango, Apricot and Almonds
This transports you to Morocco. It's gorgeous and serves at least 6 people. Enjoy! (Adapted from Fairworld Cookbook, by Oxfam)

1.25kg Boned Shoulder of Lamb
50g Unsalted Butter
2 tbsp Oil
2 1/4 tsp Ground Saffron
1 tsp Ground Black Pepper
Salt
1 tsp Ground Ginger
1 tsp Ground Cumin
1/2 tbsp Ground Cinnamon

1 Medium Onion, Grated or very finely chopped
100g T. Wholefoods Dried Mango
100g Unsulphured Dried Apricots
1 tbsp Sesame Seeds
1 Cinnamon Stick
2 Long Strips of lemon Zest
2-3 tbsp Honey
75g Almonds, blanched and halved

Soak the dried fruit in water. Cut the lamb into 4cm (1 1/2 inch) cubes, trimming off any gristle and excess fat. Melt 40g of the butter and mix it with the oil, saffron, pepper, salt, cumin and cinnamon and coat the lamb in the mixture. Tip into a wide frying pan of shallow flame proof casserole and cook over a moderate heat for about 3 minutes to toast the spices. Add the onions and enough water just to cover the ingredients. Bring to the boil, partially cover, and then simmer gently for 1-2 hours or until the meat is tender. Dry fry the sesame seeds in a small pan over a high heat until they turn a shade darker. Add the soaked fruit to the meat, along with the cinnamon stick, lemon zest and honey. Simmer uncovered for a further 30 minutes. Add the fruit soaking water if you are short of liquid. Saute the almonds in the remaining butter. Scatter these and the sesame seeds on top before serving.

Spiced Fried Fruity Dahl (v)
(Adapted from Fair World Cookbook by Oxfam)

250g Yellow Split Peas, soaked overnight and drained
2 tbsp Ghee or Clarified Butter
1 Small Onion
2 Garlic Cloves Minced
2 tsp Fresh Root Ginger, Finely chopped
1 tbsp Curry Paste

1/2 tsp Ground Tumeric
30g T. Wholefoods Dried Mango chopped into very small squares
Salt and Pepper
Plain Flour for Dusting
500ml Vegetable Oil for Deep Frying

Coarsely grind the soaked split peas in a food processor. It does not need to be a smooth paste. Heat the ghee or clarified butter in a pan. Add the onion, garlic and ginger and cook gently until they begin to soften. They do not need to be cooked right through. Add the curry paste and the tumeric and keep turning the mixture around with a wooden spoon so that it does not stick. After 1 or 2 minutes, you will begin to smell the aroma of the curry spices. Add the mango and season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and leave to cool. When the onion mix has cooled, stir into the split pea puree. Shape the mixture into balls between 2 desertspoons, then roll them and place them on a floured board. Heat the oil in a deep fat fryer or large pan and fry the balls a few at a time for 1 or 2 minutes until crisp and golden. Serve hot.

Tropical Wholefoods is a registered brand of FM Foods Ltd, Company Registration No: 2297114. Unit 5d Southwick Ind Est, Sunderland, SR5 3TX. Directors: Adam Brett, Peter Fawcett, Richard Friend and Kate Sebag.
		© FM Foods Ltd 2005